The 28-year-old was on Merseyside on Monday to undergo a medical and to discuss personal terms after the Reds agreed a fee believed to be in the region of 20million pounds.

The striker was thrilled about his move to Anfield, he said: "I would like to place on record my thanks to the board, players and fans of Tottenham for the past six years, which were the best and most enjoyable of my career to date.

"I will never forget them. I would specifically like to thank chairman Daniel Levy for understanding, that, as a fan, joining Liverpool is a lifelong dream of mine and one I couldn't let pass me by.

"I hope one day the Spurs fans, who have been brilliant to me, can understand this too.

"I have only good things to say about my time at Tottenham and expect them to go from strength to strength under Juande Ramos and Daniel Levy."

And the Republic of Ireland international has since penned a four-year deal at Anfield, bringing an end to his five-year spell at White Hart Lane.

Tottenham chairman Daniek Levy was not happy with the Reds though, saying: "I have already made my opinion clear on the nature of this transaction. I don't regard it as a transfer deal - that is something which happens between two clubs when they both agree to trade - this is very much an enforced sale, for which we have agreed a sum of GBP 19million as compensation plus a potential further GBP 1.3million in additional compensation."

Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez has long been an admirer of Keane and views him as the ideal partner for Spanish sensation Fernando Torres and the ideal replacement for Peter Crouch who left for Portsmouth.